PM Modi To Lead Somnath Amrit Parv Celebrations, Grand Roadshow Planned

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit the Somnath Temple in Gujarat on Monday, May 11, to lead the 'Somnath Amrit Parv' celebrating the 75th anniversary of the temple's reconstruction, the state's cabinet ministers and senior officials said on Friday.

State Minister Jitu Vaghani, while outlining PM Modi's itinerary during a press conference, drew a parallel between the temple's resilience against past invasions and modern political shifts, and compared it to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) recent electoral success in West Bengal. He described the West Bengal assembly election win as a "second independence" for India.

Highlights of PM Modi's Somnath Visit

The Prime Minister will arrive in Somnath from Jamnagar on the morning of May 11. He will lead a 1-kilometre roadshow from the Triveni Helipad to the statue of Veer Hamirji Gohil, which will feature cultural dances from various Indian states and backdrops representing the 12 Jyotirlingas. He will also perform religious ceremonies including the Kumbhabhishek, Dhvaja Puja, and Mahapuja.

In a symbolic gesture of reverence, a Suryakiran Air Show will take place, and helicopters will shower flower petals over the temple spire.

The Prime Minister will be greeted by Rishikumars and women of the Ahir group in traditional attire. Notably, local Bengali families in traditional dress will also welcome him, celebrating the recent win in the Bengal assembly elections.

After performing the rituals at the temple, the Prime Minister is set to address a public gathering at the Sadbhavna Ground.

Following the events in Somnath, the Prime Minister will travel to Vadodara to inaugurate the Sardardham Educational Complex.

Addressing the press conference, Vaghani recalled the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, noting that the reconstruction of Somnath was a direct result of the iron-willed resolve Patel took while standing at the seashore decades ago. He said that May 11, 1951, when India's first President Dr. Rajendra Prasad performed the Pran Pratishtha, remains a cornerstone of India's national self-respect.